Electeic hoistina machine



2 Sheets Sheet, 1;

(No Model.)

G. H. REYNOLDS. ELECTRIC HoIsTING MACHINE.

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G. H. REYNOLDS. ELECTRIC HOISTING MAGHINE.

Patented July Z8, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. REYNOLDS, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICANELECTRIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC HOISTING-MACHINE..

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N o. 456,908, dated July28, 189] Application tiled December 27, 1890. Serial No. 375,947. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. REYNOLDS, a' citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of New York, in the State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inIvIoisting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The improved machine is adapted for operating by an electrical motor andis controlled by introducing a greater'or less resistance in theelectric current which drives the motor. I provide convenient means forvarying the amount of resistance at will between Wide limits. Anefficient friction-clutch connects the drum on which the rope is Woundwith a shaft which is driven by the motor. These parts may be engagedtogether to wind up the hoist-rope to raise the load. The engagement maybe freed to allow the rope to be unwound lightly, or the parts may bepartly disengaged to allowT the load to be loweredor hoisted slowly, asthe exigencies may require.

The accompanying drawings form a part Aof this specification andrepresent what I consider the best means of carrying ont the invention.

Figure l isa plan View showing the hoisting-machine and also an ordinaryreversed dynamo from which the power is received. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionon the line a: in Fig. l. Figs. 4 and 5 representportions on a largerscale. Fig. 4 is an elevation seen from the right in Fig. 3. It showsthe circular series of contact-plates and the arm which can be traversedaround on them, which serve in varying the resistance, shown as aboutmidway of its traverse. Fig. 5 is a View looking longitudinally of themachine, showing the brake which prevents the electric motor employedfrom ever turnin g backward when the current is shut off.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they appear.

A is the fixed frame-work, certain portions being designated, whennecessary, by numerals appended. A is anearly circular casing, whichincloses a worm-wheel and Worm, the shaft of the latter extendingout-through a stuffing-box and is to be rotated by areversed dynamo orother quick-working electric motor B, which by the aid of a shaft b anda suitable coupling B connects to the wormshaft C, which is properlythreaded to impart by its rapid revolutions the required slow and strongrevolution ot'- the wheel D, keyed on the shaft D2 of thehoisting-machine. periphery of the wheel D is toothed to engage with theworm C, and is also equipped to make atolerably oil-tight contact withthe casing A. Oil is supplied liberally to the mechanism within thiscasing. A hollow cylinder D on one face of the wheel D is provided withfour or any other convenient number of wings d', extending radially onthe periphery of this cylinder.'

E E E are annular friction plates or rings of cast-iron or othersuitable material applying on the cylinder D and notched to receive thewings d with freedom to slip endwise or axially thereon, as required.these rings E are smoothly and truly finished.

G G G are annular friction plates or rings of a little greater diameter,so that the inner edges of the plates G can revolve freely outside ofth'e wings d. Each plate G is recessed at a number of points, andreceives blocks G of maple or other fine-grained and durable woodadaptedto exert a strong friction against the plates E when the parts arecompressed together, and to allow the plates to run easily when theaxial compression is relaxed. The outer edges of the plates G arenotched, and the notches receive wings h', cast on the inner face of acylindrical portion H on the drum H, which is carried on a sleeve H2,supported in a stationary bearing in the framing. The shaft D2 revolvesfreely in thel hollow interior of this sleeve except,

.when the parts are locked together by the friction of the plates E andG, which constitute a friction-clutch. The end of the shaft D2 isscrew-threaded, as indicated by d2, and receives the correspondinginternally-threaded boss or hub I ot' a large hand-Wheel I, providedwith handles 12, by which it may be conveniently turned.

.I is a coupling-ring provided with internal fianges, which engage ingrooves in the boss l and sleeve H2 and lock them together with libertyto move endwise, both moving alike, to the small extent required to varythe friction between the blocks G and the plates E.

D3 is a stop tted on the end of the shaft The The faces of IOO D. Underthese conditions the rope (not represented) is taken up by being coiledin the ample space provided in the periphery of the drum H. Vhen thehand-Wheel I is turned in the opposite direction, it relaxes thecompression, and consequently the friction, to a sufficient degree toallow the load to overcome the friction and the rope to be unwound. Byrelaxing it still more the rope will descend even with no load on itexcept the hook or other provisions (not shown) for engaging with thenext art-icle to be hoisted.

'The electric current revolves the shaft b,

and consequently the worm C, with a force properly modified to overcomethe resistance and to effect the hoisting at a proper rate. Thisrequires adjustment as the loads vary.

M is a hand-lever turning on a suitable bearing concentric to the shaftD2 and carrying a segment of gear M, which engages in a spur gear-wheelN on a shaft N, which is free to revolve in fixed bearings below, andcarries an arm N2, which, as the shaft N is rotated in one direction andthe other by the turning of the lever M, is traversed around on acircular series of contact-pieces P P2, &c. These contact-pieces areconnected by wires (not shown) extending, one from each contact-piece,to a corresponding section of the resistance-plates Q, mounted in a boxA2 in the base of the machine, Vhen the lever M, and consequently thearm N2, is thrown to one eXtreme position, all the resistance-plates arein circuit, and the motion is nearly or quite stopped.

R is an insulated surface. When the arm N2 is brought around to approachthis surface, the resistance is greatest, and when it is brought quiteonto that surface the current is entirely switched off and the machinestops. The starting is effected by moving the handle M in the reversedirection, and as the arm N2 is moved around on the series ofcontactpieces P P2 the current is thrown on. The electric current is atfirst subjected to the entire resistance of all the plates P P2, duc.;but as the arm N2 is moved farther and farther around the resistance islessened until when the circuit is nearly completed all the resistanceis off and the current is allowed to work with the greatest possibleeffect.

P* is a properly-covered Wire leading from the last of thecontact-pieces P25 to any sufficient source of electricity, as one poleof a dynamo. (Notrepresented.) Another wire U connects to the arm N2.The current will fiow from the end of this arm to the severalcontact-pieces P P2, dac., by direct contact when the arm is swungaround into that position. As the arm N2 is moved successively over twoor any other number of contactpieces, the current is required totraverse through the resistance-plates, moving in each instance out fromthe contact-piece through the corresponding resistance-plate and back tothe next contact-piece, and so on.

A considerable portion of the insulated surface R is roughened. Suchrough surface performs a useful service in insuring that the brush orcontact surface on the arm N2 shall be kept bright and clean by reasonof its frequent traverses on and off this roughened surface.

B is a coupling which connects the motorshaft l) with the worm-shaft C.Its periphery is nicely finished and receives a bearingblock T, carriedby a lever T, which turns on the center t on the fixed work A, and ismore than balanced by a counter-weight T2. So long as the motor turns inthe proper direction the friction due to this brake-block isinsignificant; but when under any circumstances there is a tendency toturn the motor backward, the friction causes the brakeblock T to liftslightly, and this, causing the lever T to act togglewise, induces avery great pressure between the brake-block T and the coupling B', andthe backward motion is promptly arrested. The casing A', in which theworm C and the worm-Wheel D are inclosed, is tight and may be partlyfilled with oil to insure their efficient lubrication. Any ordinary orsuitable means may be employed for lubricating the frictional surfacesof the blocks G and plates E.

Then the machine is out of use the handwheel I is turned backward uponits shaft sufficient to relieve the parts of the frictionclutch fromcontact.

If I now wish to operate the machine, I proceed as follows: Standing atthe side of the machine and in front of the hand-wheel I, one hand isplaced upon t-he wheel and the other upon the handle M. I now move thehandle from its vertical position in the direction of the arrow, (seeFig. 2,) and through its connection with the pinion N turn thecontactarm N2. This turns the electric current upon the motor, whichimmediately starts revolving the worm-shaft C, and through itsconnection with the worm-wheel D the shaft D2 is slowly rotated, andwere .it not for my hand being` upon the hand-wheel I it, too, wouldrevolve with the shaft; but only a light pressure of the hand upon thiswheel is necessary to prevent its turning with the shaft. The result isthat the shaft D2is screwed into the wheel I and brings the same topress the drum H, movin g its clutch contact-plates G and bearing-blocksG against the clutch contactplates E, which are carried by theworm-wheel D, The moment that sufficient friction is produced in thisclutch to lift the load which is on the rope (not shown) wound on thedrum the hand-wheel I may be released by my hand, and theload is liftedto any desired height. Itwill thus be seen that the amount of frictionwhich I put onto the clutch will all IOO IIO

ways be `]'ust andl only sufficient to lift the load. If now I wish tostop hoisting, I move the lever M back to the vertical position. Thecurrent is cut off and the motor stops.

If I wish to lower the load, I have only to turn A Y in proportion as Irelease the pressure on the ing A.

friction-plates- In order to provide for releasing these friction-platesof the clutch sufficiently when a very light load is lifted or when onlythe lifting-cable with its hook is attached, I provide a clamp J, whichunites the hand-wheel I and drum H with liberty for each to turnindependently of the other, but so that I cannot turn the hand-wheelbackward without drawing endwise on the drum, and thus compelling therelease of the friction-clutch.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention. I can employ a greaternumber of the plates'E and G. I can Vary the number and area of thebearingblocks G.

I have shown the periphery of the wormwheel D as made of steel in aseparate piece from the wheel and held by screws serving as keys. Thisis a convenient construction and allows the rim to be removed as oftenas may be required; but this precise mode of constructing the wheel isnot essential to success.

S s a winch-head fiXed upon the eXtreme end of the main shaft D2 outsideof the cas- I intend this for use with one or more extra ropes wheneverthe drum H is filled with the main hoisting-cables or out of gear withthe driving mechanism from any other cause. A rope is turned a few timesaround this winch-head or otherwise connected therewith, and the lattercan be rotated by the motor acting through the worm C and worm-wheel Dwithout regard to the frictional contacts or drum H, so long as thelatter is drawn free along the shaft by the hand-wheel I and clamp J.-

I claim as my inventionl. In a hoisting apparatus, the combination, witha series of contacts and a rheostat in an electrical circuit, a switcharranged to traverse said contacts, and an electric motor adapted toreceive a greater or less electromotive force therethrough, of a wormdriven from the shaft of said motor, a worm-wheel meshing with said wormand carrying frictional contact-surfaces, a central shaft upon which theWorm-Wheel is fixed, having one end threaded, a winding-drumV havingfrictional surfaces to correspond with those on the worm-wheel, and asleeve carried loosely upon the central shaft, a hand-wheel working uponthe screw of the shaft, and a clamp for joining said hand-wheel to saidsleeve, so

that they may move together laterally and revolve together orindependently, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a hoisting-machine, the combination, with the framing A, electricmotor B, Winding-drum H, and means for imparting motion from the motorto the drum, of the rheostat Q, switch composed of arm N2, contact-pieces P P2, duc., and insulator R, and said rheostat and switchbeing incased within the framing and electrically connected tothe motor,handlever M, and propel1 gears for operating Vsaid switch, allsubstantially as and for the pur- 8o pose specified.

3. In a hoisting-machine, the combination, with the central shaft D2, ofthe worm-wheel D, fixed thereupon so as to rotate therewith,

a series of frictional contact-pieces E, car`85 ried by said worm-wheel,winding-drum H, mounted loosely upon the central shaft, a series ofannular friction-plates G, carried by the drum, and means for throwingsaid frictional pieces E and G in and out of contact 9o with each other,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the central shaft D2, having screw-threads (Z2and end stop D3,

and with the drum H and its sleeve H2, of

the hand-wheel I, having hub I and handles I2, and clamp J, joining saidsleeve and hub, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

5. The combination, with the worm-wheel and its annular friction-platesE E, of the winding-drum H and its annular frictional plates G G, havingwooden blocks G G recessed therein and adapted to bear upon the platesE, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with the rheostatswitch composed of the movable armN2v and series of contacts P P2, dac., of the roughened insulatedsurface R,for the purpose described.

'7. The combinatiomwith the main framing A, central shaft D2, worm C,and worm-wheel D, of the separate casing A', aording abearing for theshaft and surrounding the worm and worm-wheel, so as to form anefficient oil-receptacle, substantially as shown and described.

S. The combination, with an electric motor, worm, and worm-wheel, andwith the central shaft D2 and friction-clutch E G, of the winchhead S,fixed upon the outer end of said shaft and adapted to be used forindependent winding, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. H. REYNOLDS.

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